Trembling Shards
by Devlinn Reiko
Summary: Slight shounenai [Gaikaka]Set a bit after the Itachi incident. Kakashi returns from a mission still feeling the aftershock. [Oneshot]


**This is a little fic I wanted to try out. Hopefully it turned out okay.**

**Title: **Trembling Shards**  
Pairing:** GaiKaka  
**Rating:** K  
**Warnings:** none  
**Summary**: I guess this happens a bit after the time Kakashi wakes up from the Itachi ordeal.

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The hallways were dimly lit in the slightly decaying apartment. The complex was in the cheaper areas meaning that the surrounding area suffered as well from the lack of care. Apart from these side effects it did not stop **one** person from changing moods or mind about why he was there. Passing by random doors silence mostly drifted back and forth, the random steps or movement signifying someone lived behind these walls. 

Reaching the higher levels of the complex, Gai walked along a known path. Slowing down as he approached the door he stopped and listened briefly for a few moments.

There was a shuffling of things for a few seconds before he heard the sharp sound of glass breaking. Knocking on the door he didn't wait to enter.

"Good evening my eternal rival. How dare you not stop for our challenge today!" Gai called out dramatically pointing a finger towards Kakashi, only to find Kakashi not standing where he thought he'd be, but rather kneeling in a puddle, picking up shards of glass, bleeding none the less.

Kakashi didn't seem to notice Gai's entrance and continued to collect the glass shards with bare, bleeding, shaking hands. Gai looked over Kakashi's state noticing the dried blood in his hair, face, and the bandages under the pants and shirt where rips appeared. He also noticed the absence of his hitai-ate revealing the Sharingan.

Walking over Gai knelt in front of Kakashi and grabbed his hands preventing him from picking up anymore shards which were cutting into Kakashi's palms.

"How foolish of you Kakashi." He said feeling the tremors of Kakashi's cold and bleeding hands. Standing up Gai pulled Kakashi up as well watching as Kakashi didn't fight back. Guiding Kakashi around the shards he pushed Kakashi to sit on the bed. Grabbing the med-pack that Kakashi had out he brought it over to the bed and sat down next to Kakashi grabbing his rivals right hand and pulling it over towards him. Kakashi's head still hung as he stared at his shaking hands. He could feel Gai pulling the shards out of his hand. His right hand was place up on his lap, while Gai reached across pulling the left hand over, shoulders brushing. Kakashi sighed inwardly.

Well at least he was still alive. No dream felt that real to him in a long time.

His eye moved towards his hands. Gai had gotten up and returned with towels and a bowl of warm water while Kakashi had drifted in thought. He settled the bowl on the ground and sat next to Kakashi again.

"I can do it myself." Kakashi murmured not bothering to pull his hand back.

"No task is too small for Konoha's Beautiful Green Beast." Gai remarked. He cleaned the blood and grime away from the cuts before wrapping them securely in bandages. He finished with the other hand putting Kakashi's hands down but not letting go of the pale wrist still feeling the tremors passing through Kakashi. Kakashi noticed this and pulled his hand away from Gai and held his arms to his stomach trying to suppress them.

"I can't help it again. They came back halfway through the mission." Kakashi said quietly rocking back and forward. Gai glanced at Kakashi's face for a moment before he stood up taking the bowl and towels dropping them off in the washroom before going to Kakashi's kitchenette. He opened the cupboards looking for any food that Kakashi might have. He looked for a few minutes before coming back over to Kakashi.

"It seems my rival that you do not have life giving nourishment here. Have no fear though for I shall take care of this." Gai said cheerfully. Kakashi looked up ready to decline, but his stomach had sided with Gai (obviously from the grumble that passed through his torso). Gripping his stomach a little tighter, Kakashi silently cursed it for acting up now.

"See! Your stomach agrees with me. There is no way you can escape now." Gai proclaimed walking to stand in front of Kakashi. Kakashi raised his head and Gai looked at the tired face of Kakashi.

"Can you at least help me stand up instead of staring me?" Kakashi asked monotonously.

Gai took a moment to realize how tired Kakashi was since he was asking for assistance. He smiled at Kakashi who inwardly sighed.

"Even better I'll carry you in your time of need!" Gai said before reaching down and quickly, but gently scooped Kakashi up in his arms mindful of his injuries. Kakashi braced himself in surprise by one hand pressing against Gai's solid chest and the other grabbing Gai's arm.

"W-w-what! Gai! Put me down. I can walk myself. I just asked to stand!" Kakashi said uneasily as Gai stood easily holding Kakashi. He made his way over to the door with Kakashi protesting.

"Seriously Gai! Put me down." He kept commenting although he didn't hit Gai or physically remove himself from Gai's grip. Gai walked down the hall and onto the roof before quickly jumping over rooftops to another sector. Landing on a small balcony Gai opened the door and walked into the apartment. Walking in, he deposited Kakashi on a chair.

"You realize you left without giving me my sandals." Kakashi stated, looking at his bare feet already trying to figure out how to get home. Gai ignored Kakashi's input and was in the kitchen trying to find something for Kakashi to eat. He settled on soup. He turned around quickly at the sound of something hitting the floor.

Walking back to Kakashi he found Kakashi on his knees next to the chair. He rushed to his side, kneeling, trying to figure out what was wrong.

"Guess you were right about not walking." Kakashi murmured not bothering to stand up.

"You're going to hurt yourself even more if you try to move so much." Gai said more seriously. Kakashi glanced away from that tome. He didn't want Gai to worry over him. It was bad enough Gai had to go out of his way to help him again. He didn't want Gai to worry head and foot over himself.

He felt Gai place a hand on his shoulder. Kakashi sighed and leaned forward a bit resting his forehead against Gai's shoulder too tired to care.

"I apologize for making you do this." Kakashi said quietly, guilty tone laced in his voice.

Gai moved his hand on Kakashi's shoulder a bit moving it to his shoulder blades to help support Kakashi. He felt Kakashi sigh deeply relaxing a bit against him.

"You're too stubborn Kakashi." Gai said. Kakashi nodded not bothering to remove his head either. He leaned forward a bit more taking more support from Gai, whom in return gently held Kakashi against him. Kakashi welcomed the extra warmth to his freezing skin. He looked down at his hands noticing they still trembled a bit. He clenched them slightly trying to suppress them. He felt Gai's larger warm hand come and rest atop his gently gripping Kakashi's hand. The tremors decreased a bit; Kakashi watched this. He turned one hand upward to lightly grasp Gai's. They stayed like that for a few minutes before Kakashi spoke up.

"If you stay here we'll be back at me not having any food." Kakashi stated. Gai realized this too. He moved away slowly so Kakashi didn't collapse and helped Kakashi to stand up while supporting him still. Gai helped Kakashi to sit back in the chair making sure Kakashi was secure before stepping back and walking back into the kitchen. He finished with the soup before bringing the bowl over to the table. He set it in front of Kakashi who nodded slightly in thanks before slowing picking up the utensils. Gai sat adjacent to Kakashi. Silence wavered in the apartment as Kakashi slowly ate. Finishing the bowl, he allowed Gai to take away the empty bowl and he disappeared into the kitchen.

Kakashi watched him go before leaning forward on the table head resting on his arms (left eye hidden in his arm). He was so tired from the mission. He still wasn't complete healed after the Itachi incident. He tried sleeping but it never worked for very long. His eye drifted over to his right hand in front of him staring at the bandages. He couldn't even focus on simple tasks.

'_Might as well lock me in a padded room_.' He thought grimly. He continued to stare unaware of Gai approaching him.

Gai saw Kakashi slumped over, seeing how even after eating Kakashi was slow at getting his strength back. Gai put a hand on Kakashi's shoulder watching Kakashi's eye shift up to acknowledge him.

"Do you want to sit on the couch?" Gai asked. Kakashi closed his eye for a moment before opening and nodding. He raised his head slowly and allowed Gai to grab his arm and pull him up and out of the chair. They walked over to the couch Gai letting Kakashi sit first before he sat down next to Kakashi. Kakashi felt Gai next to him, feeling the warmth of his body in contrast to his own. His head rolled to the left and landed on Gai's right shoulder. He pressed the Sharingan eye to hide in Gai shoulder.

"I think I over did it this time." Kakashi mumbled. Gai raised his right arm and put it around Kakashi's shoulder so that it was more comfortable. Kakashi leaned more into the embrace closing his eyes.

"I lost my hitai-ate a while back…couldn't find it so I had to travel all the way back here." Kakashi said, Gai finally understanding why Kakashi didn't have his eye covered.

Kakashi pushed his face further into Gai's shoulder. Gai shifted to allow Kakashi to rest against his chest. He dragged his arms to rest around Kakashi's waist.

"You don't have to do this. I'll be fine at home." Kakashi said starring across the room.

"It's not the first time I had to help you." Gai replied. Kakashi sighed, tipping his head up to look at Gai, small smile under his mask.

"Did you say something?" Kakashi said glancing up at Gai, dark blue eye focusing on the face above him. He saw the flash of hurt and worry flash across Gai's face at Kakashi's dismissal.

"I hate it when you do that." Gai said looking away. Kakashi smirked.

"Why, because you don't have my attention?" Kakashi asked jokingly only to notice Gai didn't laugh or show any sign of humour. Kakashi's smirk fell behind his mask, as he pushed himself away from Gai to sit up next to it.

"That's what everyone tends to think." Kakashi said quietly trying not to think of all the people that tended to avoid him because he didn't know how to show that he wasn't afraid of their company. He had hoped Gai saw past this because of his insistence to challenge Kakashi and fearlessness to stand by his side.

Kakashi sighed and turned sideways and put his arm on the headrest on the couch. He pushed himself up slowly and painfully and tried to walk away. Kakashi managed to stand and take a step before Gai's hand shot up and grabbed Kakashi wrist pulling him to land on his lap.

"Don't be an idiot Kakashi." Gai quietly said. Kakashi turned his head to look at Gai with a confused look in his eyes.

"You can't walk home and I'm not carrying you back." Gai said. Kakashi crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against Gai.

"I think you're getting lazy." Kakashi said glad that Gai was still willing to see past him.

"Never. There has to be one dedicated person in this rivalry." Gai countered looking over only to find Kakashi's eyes closed and his breathing beginning to even out. Gai sighed and pulled Kakashi closer nudging his fact against Kakashi's before laying a kiss to Kakashi's right temple.

Gai's hand found Kakashi's and he laced their fingers together. He noticed that they had stopped trembling, feeling the slight grip Kakashi had on his.

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**So I finally got around to posting this. I kept forgetting where I put my notes so it took awhile to gather them. Fun writing a certain pairing for the first time. Hopefully I'll get around to writing some more.**

**Please Review**

**DevlinnReiko**


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